Cork-retainer.



0. B.. SGHBLLBERG. 0011K RETAINER.

APPLICATION IILIID SEPT. 24, 1912.

Patented Den. 16, 1913.

INVENTOH mann/Era FlCE.

GSGAR IB. SCHELICBEB, 0]? NEW YORK, N. Y.

' CORK-RETAINER.

noemer.

To all lwhom z't mayy concern.'

Be it known that I, OsoAR B.. Banc, a. citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of the Bronx7 inthe county. and State of New York, have invented a newand Improved Cork-Retainer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The subject matter of this application is a new and improved cork retainer hereinafter referred to broadly as a corker.

Many devices have heretofore been. provided for the purpose of preventing the accidental removal of eorks from bottles due to the formation of gas or other causes, all ofY such devices, however, possessing certain disadvantages which it is the purpose of the present invention to overcome.

The invention shown is comprehendedin an integral structure which is characterized by the absence of sharp angles where the different portions adjoin, the structure be ing further characterized by a gradual curvature between portions extending angularly with respect to each other, whereby in the handling which the device must receive in `use the tendency of damage is materially lessened. The structure disclosed is also characterized by non-uniformity of cross sectional area, since it has been ascertained that certain portions of less cross sectional area will at the same time fully perform the purpose for which they are intended, such characterization resulting in lessening the cost of production.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this speci fication, in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 is an end view of the device in position on the neck of a bottle; Fig. 2 is a side View; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device; Fig. 4 is an end view thereof, while Fig. 5 is a side view,

Any suitable bottle or equivalent vessel is designated 1 andis shown provided with the usual peripheral shoulder 2 adjacent the upper end of the neck; a cork 3 which may be of any desired material is shown closing y the neck of the vessel.

The cork-retainer is preferably of integral construction and made of rubber or elastic material, and comprises a circular base 4 and an arch 5 extending therefrom. Thel base 4 is of annular construction, the inner speeiacanon f Letters Patent.

Applicaticnmed September-*24, 1912i. Serial No. 722,041.

Senaat44 PatentedDec. 16, 1913.

diameter being such that the device may be closelyengaged on the outside of the =neck ofi the vessel, the outer diameter of the base belng substantially equal to the diame ter of the shoulder, as shown particularly in Fig. 1, whereby the said base 4, to an extent,-

protects the shoulder from injury. The thickness of the base 4. will, of course, dopend upon the size of the bottle with which the device is employed, and to anA extentl upon the material contain ed within the botf tle.

. Referring particularly to Iligs 1, 3'- and' 5, 1t will be notedthat the arch 5' 1s made up of the vertically extending sides Gand the top portion 7 of reduced cross sectional diate portion are bifurcated, whereby thediver ent ends Bresult, which ends are sep arate -by an opening 9, it being noted that the sides 6, ends 8 and base 4- merge one#v into the other without:

any abrupt corners or angles.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 andl4 1t will be noted that the top portion 7 ofi the arch is of less -thickness thanthe sides 6, the purpose of such construction being thisz-After the article has been positioned* on the neck of the bottle by being slipped over the shoulder 2, the cork 3 is inserted, the arch 5 being drawn to one -side to permit this, the arch beingA then manipulated in order to stretch it a certain amount andplace it over the top of the cork, as shown in Figs. 1 and2; the top of the cork being suhtantially flat any movement of the cork relatively to the bottle will cause lengthening or shortening of the sides 6 of the arch, the top portion 7 remaining substantially immovable as far as stretching is concerned, due to the fact that the top of the cork closely engages the under side of this top of the arch, thereby preventing movement of one relatively to the other, which is necessary in the stretching process.

The device is preferably molded from a single piece of material, and the size thereof may he varied; in fact, the invention may he comprehended in articles of widely different sizes in order to be used on bottles of diterent dimensions.

The manner of using the article has been set forth in describing the structure; such manner of use provides a simple and imwall 91 of the opening, and thus there is a positive engagement between the retainer proved means for moval of the cork.

The gradual increase yin thickness of the sides 6 as theyL extend toward the base 4 is for the purpose of increasing the tension upon the cork, so as to draw it into the neck of the bottle. Since the base 4 is under the flange or shoulder 2 at the end of the neck of the bottle, the result is that the cork will naturally be pulled down. The openings 9 are to permit the uniform stretching of the base Il, as well as the uniform separation of the lower ends 8 of the sides 6, so as to prevent the arch 5 from slipping off the c k. These openings will allow the sides 6 and their divrging ends 8, together with the base 4 to adjust themselves in accordance with the size of the bottle and cork; as the ends 8 a're stretched apart the top 7 of the arch 5 tends to force the cork into the mouth of the bottle. The relatively thin top p0rtion 7 gives an important result in that, when stretched over the cork top, it presents very little vertical projection such as might be accidentally engaged at the side edges in contacting with other bodies. Moreover, any accidental contact or blow on the side edges of the reduced portion will not displace the retainer, because the effect of any blow is necessarily localized, whereas witht a thick top portion, the arch, in practice, is liable to he pushed sidewise from its position by contact with another object. rllhe branching of tlie archin the form of separate arms 6 that form with the base ring 4, the opening 9, produces two important results, to wit: with the retainer in place, the bead or shoulder 2 of the neck at the opening 9 extends into the latter, and the under side of the shoulder 2 overlies the bot-tom preventing accidental reand bottle neck by opposed shoulders directly on the median line of the arch, which resists both the tendency of displacement of the arch by slipping sidewise, and the tilting of the cork by a lateral pressure. Furthermore, the diverging' arms 6, it will be seen, act as inclined braces in both directions at oppositesides of the median line of the arch, to resist the transverse slipping of the arch or the tilting of the cork. Finally, the diverging arms produce a broadened base for the arch, free from angles, which prevents .tearin and separation when the retainer is stre ched over the bottle and cork tearing frequentl7 happens with retainers having the side e ges o the arch rising approximately straight from the base ring. The thickening of the arch at the base also, contributes to the prevention of tearing.

l Wish to have `it understood that the above description is illustrative only, disclosing but one embodiment of my invention, and that I do not care to be limited to the exact details shown and described, but reserv to myself the right to make whatever c anges in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts fairly fall within the 'scope and spirlt of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, whatl l. ,f aim as new and desire to secure by Let- ;ciis Patent is A resilient retainer for corks, comprising a base ring adapted to encircle a bottle neck below ,the usual exterior bead thereof, and

ari/arch having the sides joining the base Yrings by diverging arms presenting diametrically opposite openings between the arms at the base of the arch, in which openings opposite portions of the said bead may enter, the openings being surrounded on all sides by the material of the retainer and presenting lower walls forming shoulders to engage under the shoulder of the bead, and the arms forming resistance members atthe sides of the arch.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OSCAR B. SCHELLBERG. Witnesses:

PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs, LAURENCE J. GALLAGHER. 

